In 2003 Justin took me to Haiti to visit for three weeks. He wanted to show me where he had lived and served for two whole years. He wanted to show me the beauty of the county he felt was his second home. He wanted me to discover the culture and people he had fallen in love with while serving selflessly. On that trip I saw the most amazing sites, met the most lively and spirited people, and saw why my husband loved the Haitian people so much! I also saw the deplorable conditions these people lived in and was in awe at their strength and endurance and happiness, despite their lack of living supplies.

This is Justin and I in a river swimming with the Haitians, that was a really great day!

Justin had tried to make his way back many times and oddly enough became friends with Wyclef Jean just by approaching him and talking to him in his native language (Haitian creole...Justin is fluent). In 2006 Justin was invited to go with Wyclef (now an ambassador for Haiti) back to Haiti to be Wyclef's personal photographer. Justin documented the trip while Wyclef's non-profit organization Yele served the people, and as Wyclef performed at the big Carnival celebration that year.

On January 12th, 2010 the earth shook beneath the Haitians and left their entire country in shambles and left nearly 50,000 dead. Justin heard about this and IMMEDIATELY began pulling from all of his connections (anyone who knows my husband can attest to the fact that he definitely is a man with connections) to organize clothes, shoes, and funds to be donated to help those in need. He also began researching how he could make his way back to Haiti to help the people he once served with love. On Saturday, January 23rd, Justin received word that he would be able to go with a group to travel to Haiti to help translate and offer a helping hand. Today Justin is on his way to Haiti for another three weeks! This is part of the email he sent out to all of our friends and family:

"Hello Friends and Family!!!
I am writing this email as I prepare to go down to Haiti for 3 weeks to help with the Earthquake Relief efforts! As many of you know, I did missionary work down there for 2 years, and have a sincere love and affection for the Haitian people. I have been heartbroken since the devastating earthquake, and have been anxious to get down there to be of service to my Haitian friends and family. I speak Haitian Creole fluently and have found a group going that is in dire need of translators. There are 150 of us going (50 translators, 50 medical professionals, and 50 construction professionals) under the banner of Utah Hospital Task ForceThe Utah Hospital Task Force will be traveling to Haiti within the authorization of USAID, and operating under the umbrella of Healing Hands for Haiti.

Through USAID, our tasking is highly organized. Upon arrival we will first set up camp as expeditiously as possible, then begin to serve as directed by USAID and UN officials. Our first priority is life saving - to get the Healing Hands clinic operating so that it can treat patients. We are also going to be bringing Orphans back on the plane that drops us off! ForEveryChild.org has confirmed 70 orphans cleared for release. A large percentage of these are two or so years old!

THANK YOU SOOOOO MUCH in advance for supporting me and my family as I embark on this sure to be life changing trip!
I look forward to telling you all about it!

I am SO PROUD of my husband for giving up his time and talents to go help those in need. I feel such a deep love for my husband and see what a huge heart he has. I know he will be doing the work of God and helping the people of Haiti. I only have 21 more days until I get to see him again and I know he'll do an amazing job. I love you sweetheart! The boys and I will be praying for you to have a safe and successful trip and to arrive safely back home to us!

we are so blessed to have people like you and justin. huge hearts like yours' are few to find. so thank you so much from the bottom of my heart. will keep justin and your family in my thoughts for a successful trip and a safe one back too.

I follow you both on Twitter, and I think it's amazing Justin is able to go for 3 weeks! I've been to Port Au Prince on medical missions the past three years, and will be going back (Lord willing) in March for a fourth trip. We support Roberta Edwards, an amazing American woman that runs a foster home for 30 kids and a nutrition program that feeds around 100 kids 2 meals a day. (More info at www.estes.tn.org.) Haiti and her people hold a very special place in my heart, and I'm so excited for the good Justin will do when he is there. I'll be praying for your family!

What an amazing effort he is making along with all those other people! He is truly a missionary of god and will be able to help so many people while there. It fills my heart with joy to hear this story and I know him, the others helping and your family will be blessed for all your efforts! Thanks for sharing and keep us updated!!

I have tears running down my cheeks. this is so near to my heart. My husband is currently at the Embassy in Haiti trying to bring home the son we have been in the process to adopt for over two years. I wish your husband the best as he goes to help. Please keep us updated. I have always told my man that if I could photograph like anyone I would choose it to be like you. Your photos are inspiring.

What a great way to be involved and to help others. It always gives me goosebumps when I see so many people helping so many others. It's great that you guys can give back in this way. Also, Wyclef? That's awesome!

That is so awesome. I've followed your blog for a while and I really think that is so great that Justin is going to go serve his second family. I hope he will be safe and your little family will cope well with him gone.

Thank you for this story. I have felt bad about the situation in Haiti, but nothing has touched my heart like a missionary returning to his home of 2 years. (I am at BYU and had a class with your cousin. He shared your blog with me, and I follow you on Google Reader. Congrats on your success!)

What beautiful photos. So glad your husband is able to go and help, especially since he speakes Kreyol.

(01.28.10 02:25 PM)

Kirsten Staggs said:

Okay, your blog is officially under my "Favorites". I mostly was interested in your wedding photography, but this is awesome. Thank you for the inspiration.
Kirsten
www.photography-kirsten.blogspot.com

Amelia! I know and love the Trinnaman's who run ForEveryCHild and one of my firends mothers left today with Utah Hospital Task Force. What a beautiful work Justin is doing! Best wishes. Our prayers are with you!!

Amelia. I have an urgent request. Is Justin in Haiti yet? My husband is at the Embassy with sick children and pregnant women all sleeping on floor waiting to be signed out. Ambassador Joseph is not doing it for reasons noone knows. All paperwork is ready and complete. CNN said they would do story but need photos. None of their phones will send photos out today..service is sketchy.
Do you think Justin could help?
ernest.debra@gmail.com @debraparker

(01.28.10 03:45 PM)

Keri Welch said:

This is awesome. I have followed your blog for a while and am also a fan of The Mammoth Men. My prayers are with Justin and your family. God Bless

i'm so happy you guys have the means to send justin to help! i have not been able to get the people of haiti off my mind and just feel so helpless as to what i can do. we even donated about 20 pairs of shoes to the "soles for souls" at sports chalet today. good for justin and good for you- having no husband is a definite sacrifice.

What a fabulous family you guys are. Thanks for sharing the photos. There is a huge Haitian population here in Boston, and our LDS stake has one of the few branches outside of Haiti. We've been feeling really close to all that has gone on. Every member of the branch has lost at least one family member. Will be thinking of and praying for all of you.

(01.28.10 06:33 PM)

jessie said:

Amelia, THANK YOU!!! for posting beautiful, happy joyful photos of the people in Haiti, it is so awesome to see what was such a happy although very poor place. This really helps show their hearts, why Justin fell in love with them and why he feels so strongly about serving them again. And THANK YOU for being so supportive of him and letting him go. We love you dearly.

This is so rad. I look up to you guys for a lot of reasons, but this truly shows the quality of people you are and emulates your finest qualities. Thank you for making a difference on so many different levels.

thank you thank you! these pictures show a different side to haiti than we are used to seeing - how nice to see all the smiling faces, joy & laughter. & thank you for your efforts now. my thoughts will be with you & your family.

That's awesome that he is able to go down and help! I was in Haiti in 2008 and have been wanting to return ever since I heard about the earthquake. I'm excited that Justin is actually able to go and be of some real help in this critical time!

This warms my heart to no end! I am headed to Haiti on Monday to see my family and help out in the local community of where I grew up in Delmas, Port au Prince. It is a wreck and I'm seeking to prepare my heart to be broken. Thank-you for posting this! I didn't know he was fluent in Creole! It's always so shocking for me to see someone from a different country speak our language. It really shows that someone cares, when they bother to master our language like that. Amazing! Thank-you for your heart to help my very dear people, and supporting your husband as he goes out. May God bless you guys! =)

So great to hear it from another perspective. What gorgeous pictures and beautiful experiences you must have had. I'm so glad your husband went down with mine. I'm sure they were so happy to see each other! I'll have to check his facebook updates too!

That is so awesome! I LOVE Wyclef! We took our kids to a concert called groovin on the grounds at LSU and Wyclef is who we went to see. We stayed out there SOOOOO late. Finally he was on. I had my son at the front with me.... He was maybe 7 almost 8 at the time and he was bouncing his hand and wyclef grabbed him up and brought him on stage with him! He held wyclefs hand and was doing some hand raising bouncing thing... Wyclef said this kid has rythym. It was so awesome!
What your husband is doing is amazing!! I am a little jealous too. We have a missions heart and know someday we will be doing that alot more in our life.

(01.31.10 08:55 PM)

Amy said:

Wow...its encouraging, touching, and at the same time challenging to read how your husband is really putting LOVE into action. So selfless as well. I will truely remember your husband in my prayers and Haiti as well. You guys are both amazing and its truely a blessing to see how you and your family are being used to touch the lives of others. God Bless You Guys!~* =)

you and your family are so supremely blessed. glad to read that your husband is using ALL of his abilities to help God's people. what a blessing! what a great testimony! thanks for sharing. i heard wyclef jean on npr the other day talking about haiti. can't believe justin knew him so well! all in God's providence.

Wow, I'm so impressed and proud of you guys! I look forward to seeing photos and hearing how things went. I just discovered your blog and LOVE your work! Every single photo is a piece of art! Great job!

Justin we love that you are out there helping our brothers and sisters in Haiti. As a returned missionary I appreciate how much you love the Haitian people and want to help. Stay safe and we'll see you soon.

After reading your blog, I thought your articles is great! I liked your articles and Photographs. Your blog is very useful to me. Here you are provideing such a greatful information.
Thanks for sharing.......

I'm glad you have such a generous spirit, Justin!
Amelia - I hope your family finds comfort in Justin's caring nature when you're missing him as he works to help others. And you're generous for sharing him :)